Adjacent Words

Colossus definitions

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Webster's 1828 Dictionary

COLOSSUS, n. A statue of a gigantic size. The most remarkable colossus of antiquity was one at Rhodes, a statue of Apollo, so high that it is said ships might sail between its legs.

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

n
1: someone or something that is abnormally large and powerful [syn: giant, goliath, behemoth, monster, colossus]
2: a person of exceptional importance and reputation [syn: colossus, behemoth, giant, heavyweight, titan]

Merriam Webster's

noun (plural colossi) Etymology: Latin, from Greek kolossos Date: 14th century 1. a statue of gigantic size and proportions 2. a person or thing of immense size or power

Oxford Reference Dictionary

n. (pl. colossi or colossuses) 1 a statue much bigger than life size. 2 a gigantic person, animal, building, etc. 3 an imperial power personified. Etymology: L f. Gk kolossos

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Colossus Co*los"sus, n.; pl. L. Colossi, E. Colossuses. [L., fr. Gr. ?.] 1. A statue of gigantic size. The name was especially applied to certain famous statues in antiquity, as the Colossus of Nero in Rome, the Colossus of Apollo at Rhodes. He doth bestride the narrow world Like a colossus. --Shak. Note: There is no authority for the statement that the legs of the Colossus at Rhodes extended over the mouth of the harbor. --Dr. Wm. Smith. 2. Any man or beast of gigantic size.

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

(colossi) 1. If you describe someone or something as a colossus, you think that they are extremely important and great in ability or size. (JOURNALISM) ...saxophone colossus Sonny Rollins... He became a colossus of the labour movement. = giant N-COUNT: usu sing, oft N of n [emphasis] 2. A colossus is an extremely large statue. N-COUNT

Soule's Dictionary of English Synonyms

n. Gigantic statue.

Moby Thesaurus

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